The Eunuchs in the Ming Dynasty

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SUNY Press, Jan 1, 1996 - History - 290 pages
This book is the first on Chinese eunuchs in English and presents a comprehensive picture of the role that they played in the Ming dynasty, 1368-1644. Extracted from a wide range of primary and secondary source material, the author provides significant and interesting information about court politics, espionage and internal security, military and foreign affairs, tax and tribute collection, the operation of imperial monopolies, judiciary review, the layout of the palace complex, the Grand Canal, and much more.

The eunuchs are shown to be not just a minor adjunct to a government of civil servants and military officers, but a fully developed third branch of the Ming administration that participated in all of the most essential matters of the dynasty. The veil of condemnation and jealousy imposed on eunuchs by the compilers of official history is pulled away to reveal a richly textured tapestry. Eunuchs are portrayed in a balanced manner that gives due consideration to able and faithful service along with the inept, the lurid, and the iniquitous.

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Contents

Introduction
1
NEW THEMATIC APPROACHES
6
The Demand and Supply of Ming Eunuchs
11
FOREIGN SUPPLY OF EUNUCHS
14
DOMESTIC SUPPLY OF EUNUCHS
17
MORE SUPPLY THAN DEMAND
21
THE PROBLEMS OF EXCESSIVE CASTRATI
26
Institutionalization of the Eunuch Agencies
29
EUNUCH MISSIONS TO CENTRAL ASIA
131
MING EUNUCHS AND CHINESEKOREAN RELATIONS
135
Eunuchs and Ming Maritime Activities EUNUCHS AND THE MING MARITIME TRADE
141
TRADE WITH JAPAN AND THE RYUKYU ISLANDS
142
TRADE WITH SOUTHEAST ASIA
145
ZHENG HES SEVEN NAVIGATIONS
153
Eunuchs Involvement in the Ming Economy
165
EUNUCHS AS TAX COLLECTORS
170

EUNUCHS NEW HAVEN
34
EUNUCH AGENCIES INSIDE THE IMPERIAL CITY
39
EUNUCH AGENCIES OUTSIDE THE CAPITAL CITY
56
Eunuchs and the Ming Military System
59
THE EUNUCH BATTALIONS
63
THE NANJING GRAND COMMANDANT
69
EUNUCH COMMANDERS AND MING BUREAUCRACY
74
EUNUCHS AND TEAHORSE TRADE
78
Eunuchs and the Ming IntelligenceGathering Apparatuses THE EASTERN DEPOT
97
SUCCESSIVE DIRECTORS OF THE EASTERN DEPOT
101
THE WESTERN DEPOT
114
Eunuchs and Ming Diplomacy MING TRIBUTARY SYSTEM
119
THE MONGOLS AND THE TIBETANS
122
EUNUCHS ROLE IN THE MING SALT MONOPOLY
173
EUNUCHS AND MING MINING
177
EUNUCHS AS PURCHASING AGENTS AND MANUFACTURING MANAGERS
182
Miscellaneous Duties of the Ming Eunuchs
189
EUNUCHS AND MING FLOODCONTROL PROJECTS
197
EUNUCHS AND MING JUDICIARY REVIEWS
210
Conclusion
221
Eunuch Agencies and Their Duties in Ming Dynasty
231
APPENDIX 2 Glossary of Chinese Characters
235
NOTES
243
BIBLIOGRAPHY
271
INDEX
281
Copyright

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About the author (1996)

Shih-shan Henry Tsai is Professor of History and Chairman of Asian Studies at the University of Arkansas.

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